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Arson alleged in Mansfield

MANSFIELD — A local woman allegedly set fire to her house before pounding on her neighbor’s door wearing only a blanket and bleeding, police said.

Mansfield police said a neighbor was awakening at 4 a.m. March 10 when Lisa S. Deacon, 48, of 55 N. Main St., allegedly was screaming and banging on their door.

When police came in contact with Deacon, they found she was bleeding and wearing only a blanket.

According to a police affidavit of the incident, the officers placed Deacon in the fire chief’s personal vehicle to stay warm. While inside the vehicle, she grabbed an ice scraper and waved it around while screaming for the “demons to get away,” according to the affidavit.

After the responding fire departments cleared the house of flames, police found a long, serrated kitchen knife covered in what appeared to be blood.

Upon further investigation of the home, it was discovered that the fire began after four cloth towels had been placed on an open flame burner. The flames had traveled from the gas stove to the second floor and across the ceiling, causing damages in excess of $5,000, according to police.

The investigating officer determined that the cause of the fire was arson. Deacon is the only person currently living in the home and is suspected to have been under the influence of a controlled substance, police said.

Deacon is facing charges of criminal mischief, risking catastrophe, disorderly conduct, public drunkeness and five charges of arson.

She has been jailed in lieu of $25,000 bail.

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